Drexler explores the quiet reversal of care on ‘Prague’

Drexler explores the quiet reversal of care on ‘Prague’, the final single before Olympia-5

Australian/Hong Kong composer and multi-instrumentalist Drexler (Adrian Leung), has released ‘Prague’, the final single ahead of his forthcoming record, Olympia-5. 

The album promises Drexler’s most intimate work yet: a collection of improvised solo piano pieces interwoven with ambient electronics, capturing moments of reflection, grief, and connection with a delicate, almost cinematic touch.

Prague is born from a rare 2024 trip Drexler took to Prague with his father, the first time they traveled together as adults. Having lived in different countries for over fifteen years, their time together had been limited, and the visit coincided with his father’s declining health. Against the backdrop of the city, Drexler began to notice the subtle ways the balance of care had shifted—how his father, once the caretaker, now relied on him. The track is a meditation on that quiet reversal, translating deeply personal observation into music.

The album itself emerged during a period of profound vulnerability. When Drexler’s father relapsed with lymphoma, spending over six months in hospital, the composer found himself seeking alternative ways to connect from afar. Long phone calls focused on treatment updates offered little solace. In response, Drexler began sending improvised piano recordings, allowing music to act as a bridge—an unspoken way to say, “I’m thinking of you”—and transforming moments of isolation into shared emotional space.

Accompanying the release, a short film directed by Hannah Papacek Harper complements the track’s themes of care, memory, and connection. Papacek Harper describes the project as a meditation on home and kinship, exploring the “tendrils” that bind us to our family across time and distance. The visuals capture a shimmering cityscape and intimate urban moments, reflecting both the foreignness and familiarity Drexler felt in Prague, and amplifying the music’s contemplative depth.

With Prague, Drexler and Papacek Harper create a hauntingly beautiful reflection on familial bonds and impermanence. Drexler, a UK-based composer whose work spans film, TV, and solo releases, has already drawn attention from BBC3, BBC6, KEXP, and more with earlier singles from Olympia-5. The record, out February 13th via Sonder House, promises to be a tender, resonant journey—a space where grief, memory, and the subtle gestures of care find their own quiet, enduring voice.